Twelve Months
by aedy
Summary: Kurt and Puck meet in New York and fall in love over the course of a year.
1. January

_A/N: I've started writing this because I'm stuck in a writer's block. I'm trying to write for the Kurt Big Bang but I'm stuck with that one as well. So this came out. It has 12 chapters, one for each month and I will post one chapter each day. This is very short, but the others aren't. So I hope you will enjoy this story._

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><p><strong>January – First Meeting<strong>

As if they were in a predictable romantic comedy, they meet on New Year's Eve. New York is cold and rainy when Kurt, running to catch a cab before someone else snatches it, collides with a hard body.

Strong hands grab him before he falls down and when Kurt looks up into warm hazel eyes, he can't help but smile, the rude comeback stuck in his throat.

"I'm sorry," the strangers says, but to Kurt it sounds like the apology is fake. The little grin on the man's face is just a further proof.

"We can share." The words are out before Kurt can really think about it and he wonders what the hell he's thinking, asking to some stranger to share a taxi like that. He doesn't even know if they're going the same way, or if this man is a serial killer, but there's just something inside him screaming at him to get to know this man, and Kurt has always trusted his instincts. "The cab, I mean."

"Sure."

The man extends a hand to Kurt and introduces himself as soon as they're sitting in the cab. "I'm Noah."

"Kurt," he replies, grasping the hand and holding onto it a little longer than necessary.

They end up watching the Ball dropping in Times Square on the TV in a little diner where they had decided to ask the cab to drop them off. Kurt was going to meet with Santana and Brittany to spend together the last minutes of the year, but suddenly, it doesn't really matter when Noah, whatever his plans were, just threw them away to spend some time with Kurt.

They spend the night talking.

They say goodbye when it's dawn and Kurt is so focused on thinking about the night that just ended, that he doesn't realize he didn't ask for Noah's number until he's already back at his apartment.


	2. February

**February – Spin Date**

Kurt isn't sure why he agreed with Santana to come to the spin date night because in the last month, all he could think about was Noah so he's not going to just go out with a man met there.

The next day is Valentine's Day and Santana has convinced him to find someone to spend the 14th with even if it's just a random guy that he won't ever see again.

So there he is, sitting at a little table talking about things he doesn't even care about.

"I'm trying to make it on Broadway but I've never gotten a part."

Kurt studies the man sitting in front of him for a few seconds. He's not good looking and when he talks, he fidgets a lot, like he's unsure of what he's doing or saying. To make it on Broadway, you have to be strong enough to get back on your feet even after the hundredth time you've been knocked down.

"Have you auditioned lots of times?" he asks, trying to make conversation.

"No." The man shrugs and looks down at the table. "I've tried twice and now I'm waiting for the right role, you know?"

_'Yeah, it's easy to see why he didn't make it,' _Kurt thinks.

The bell signaling a change of "dates" rings, saving Kurt from having to say something along the lines of, "you'll make it, don't worry."

The man smiles in goodbye and walks away. Kurt looks down at the paper sheet and writes a big **NO** next to n° 6.

He's still looking at the list when the next "date" sits down. When he looks up, he can't stop himself from smiling and saying, "You!"

The man chuckles, deep and rich.

"Sorry, you probably don't remember..."

"Kurt, was it?" Noah cuts him off.

"Yeah." Kurt smiles and can't look away from the deep hazel eyes staring right back at him.

"What are you doing here?" Noah asks before shaking his head. "What a stupid question. I mean, I didn't think you'd be the spin-date type of guy."

"I'm not, actually. My best friend made me come because tomorrow is Valentine's Day and apparently, I'm a loser because I don't have a date."

Noah laughs before nodding. "It's why I'm here too. My best friend thinks that because she has a boyfriend, everyone else should too. I only indulge her craziness because I really love her."

Kurt smiles. "That's sweet. I only accepted so she'd shut up."

Noah laughs again, shaking his head a little.

The bell rings again but Kurt looks straight into Noah's eyes and says, "Stay."

"I have a better idea. We could go grab a coffee and then I could take you to see the musical my best friend is in."

"Musical?" Kurt asks intrigued.

"She's on Broadway."

Kurt gets up and puts his coat on in record time all the while unable to get rid of the smile on his face. "I love Broadway," he says, following Noah outside.

"I remember you told me about it when we first met," Noah says smiling.

Kurt has to stop himself from jumping up and down because Noah remembers something about him. He reminds himself that he's twenty-three and shouldn't act like a school girl with her first crush.

They walk side by side with ease, like they've known each other all their life, standing so close that their shoulders touch every other step. When Noah puts his hands in the pockets of his jacket, their fingers brush and Kurt has to put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from reaching out and grab Noah's hand.

"What musical is she in?" Kurt asks when they reach a little cafè. He pushes open the door and unbuttons his coat walking to one of the tables close to the window.

"Spring Awakening." Noah slides in the booth across from Kurt and smiles at him.

"Spring Awakening? Don't tell me your friend is Rachel Berry!"

"Yeah," Noah replies rolling his eyes fondly.

"I know someone who used to go with her back in high school but they weren't really friends. She has an amazing talent."

"I know and she does too which is the bad thing," he jokes. He waves at the waitress who comes over to take their orders. After she leaves, Noah looks back at Kurt and asks, "So, last time I forgot to ask your number."

Kurt rolls his lips in his mouth and looks away nervously. "I kind of forgot too."

Shaking his head chuckling, he asks Kurt for a pen and then grabs Kurt's hand and pushes the sleeve of his jumper up to the elbow.

"What..."

"I'd write it on a napkin, but you'd probably lose it and I've seen enough movies to know that you don't want to write a phone number on someone's hand. So the forearm should do."

The pen tickles Kurt's skin but he's so focused on Noah, that he barely notices.

"There you go." Noah hands the pen back and pulls down the sleeve of Kurt's jumper just as the waitress comes back with their orders.

"How is it going at work?" Noah asks sipping on his coffee.

"The usual. I'm trying to make them understand what is fashionable and what is trash. Your record?"

"Coming along."

They're both a little surprised at the ease with which they start their conversation right where they left it off last time, almost as if they're used to be around each other.

Kurt is about to ask more about Noah's record when his phone rings. Sighing, he pulls it out seeing Santana's name flashing on the screen. Rolling his eyes, he answers with a, "What?"

"_Are you having fun?_"

"Yes. So if you don't mind..."

"_You have to come home. I have to leave for work and Charlie..._"

"Your baby-sitter ditched you again, didn't she?"

"_Yeah. You can't trust a teenage girl these days. So, are you coming?_"

Kurt looks at Noah and really wants to tell Santana to get Brittany to get out earlier from work, but in the end he just sighs and says, "Okay. I'll be there soon" and then hangs up.

"You have to go?"

"Yes. My friend needs me to watch her son." He puts his coat on and gets up looking at Noah wanting to let him know that he really wants to stay but he can't. "I..."

"It's okay."

"I'll see you, then."

"Yeah. Bye Kurt." Noah's voice is soft and he looks at Kurt with a little smile, waving his fingers before turning around to drink his coffee.

Kurt hesitates for a moment before pushing open the door and catches Noah asking to the waitress for a pen before grabbing a napkin and starting to write something down. With a last smile, he walks out of the cafè.


	3. March

_A/N: thank you so much for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story!_

**March – Meeting Again**

Santana is talking no-stop about how much she hates Broadway and that she is only doing this because it's Kurt's birthday. She is holding Brittany's hand and Kurt's arm and stops talking about what a great friend she is only long enough to make a rude comment about the people walking around them.

"I didn't ask you to get me a ticket to a Broadway show," Kurt tells her getting an icy glare in return.

"I'm your best friend and this is your birthday. Plus, I really want to see Berry again. I want to see if she's still as annoying as she was back in high school."

Kurt rolls his eyes and looks both sides before crossing the road dragging Santana and Brittany with him. "You will only see her on stage, though."

"Says who? We will wait outside for her to come out."

"I want to see Rachel again," Brittany cuts in. She lets go of Santana's hand and walks on Kurt's other side sliding her arm through Kurt's. "I don't remember a lot of her from high school, but she had horrible clothes."

"I'm not going to wait in the cold on my birthday so you two can see if she's still annoying or if she still has horrible taste."

"Shut up, Hummel. We're taking you to see a musical so you will wait with us after," Santana tells him with a tone that clearly says that she won't accept any reply.

"Whatever." They cross another street and walk in silence for a moment, Brittany humming to a song, Kurt and Santana looking at the shop windows. "That guy I met on New Year's Eve," Kurt says after a while.

"What about him?" Santana asks him.

"He knows Rachel. He said that they went to school together."

"Oh we know him too then," Brittany says excitedly with a big smile on her face. "What's his name?"

"Noah."

"Noah?" Santana sounds surprised and Kurt looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you know him?"

Santana shakes her head. "I don't think it's the same person. So, did you call him?"

Kurt shrugs and looks away. "I'm waiting for him to call."

"Why? You're not a girl," Santana tells him.

"But he's Capital G Gay," Brittany says laughing, trying to sound like her sixteen year old self. "But sometimes girls do the calling so maybe you can do the same."

"I don't know." He sighs heavily and smiles when he sees that they are finally at the theater. "I'm really happy that you girls decided to take me here tonight."

"You needed a break," Santana says just as Brittany leans up so she can kiss him on the cheek. "You work too much."

The musical is just as great as the reviews said and even Santana actually likes it. Kurt is having one of the best birthdays of his life. Ever since he has moved to New York with Brittany and Santana right after high school, he has always felt like he was home even when it was just the three of them for his birthdays. Well, the three of them and Charlie.

Once the musical is over, Santana drags Kurt and Brittany where the other fans are waiting in hope to get an autograph but right when the actors come out, out of the corner of his eye, Kurt sees Noah getting out of a taxi.

"I have to go," he hurriedly tells Brittany, letting go of her hand. "I'll see you at home."

"Okay."

He crosses the street not really thinking about what he is going to tell Noah. In the month and a half that has passed since their last meeting, Kurt hasn't been able to stop thinking about him. More than once, he almost called the boy before his insecurities got the better of him and made him put down the phone.

"Noah!" he calls just as the man is paying the taxi driver.

The boy pulls away from the taxi and looks at Kurt. "Hey." His voice is a little uncertain and his smile not as open as the other times.

"Hi!" Kurt can't help but smile at him even though he's feeling nervous. "I went to see "Spring Awakening" tonight. It's my birthday and my best friends dragged me here," he rambles on.

"Oh, happy birthday." This time Noah's smile is more genuine.

"Is something wrong?" Kurt asks when he notices that Noah doesn't really look like he wants to talk to him.

"I was waiting for your call," Noah tells him, his eyes looking away for a moment.

Kurt swallows. "I was waiting for yours."

Noah shakes his head and smiles. "Why? You didn't give me your number."

And Kurt really feels like a stupid in that moment. He doesn't even know why he was so sure that he had given his number to Noah and now, if they wasted a whole month, it's his fault. "Damn. Santana kept telling me to call you. I should have listened."

Noah raises an eyebrow. "Santana?"

"One of my best friends. We met back in high school and moved here together."

Noah laughs. "Is it Santana Lopez by any chance?"

"Yeah. Do you know her?" He rolls his eyes at himself. "Of course you do. You went to McKinley and so did she. Come to think of it, you told me that you were in your school glee club, so of course you know her."

Noah stops smiling though and Kurt looks at him confused. "We used to fuck."

"Oh."

Noah regrets the words as soon as they're out of his mouth and Kurt looks at him with his brow furrowed, like he's trying to remember something. "Everybody called me Puck back then."

Kurt smiles a little at that. "The one that knocked up the head cheerleader, slept with cougars and went to juvie for stealing an ATM."

"How..."

"She used to tell me stories about her friends because mine were boring. Nothing exciting ever happens in a private school."

Noah nods and looks at Kurt with something akin to apprehension. "I'm not like that anymore."

Kurt smiles at him, taking a step forward, glancing towards the entrance of the theater for a moment to see if Santana and Brittany are still there but he can't see them in the crowd. When he looks back at Noah, he says, "Who's the same person they were at sixteen? I've changed a lot since high school and it would be presumptuous of me to assume that you're still the same person."

Noah nods. "So, is she here?"

Kurt points towards the crowd still gathered outside the theater. "She wanted to see if Rachel still dresses horribly. She's with Brittany, you know her too, right?"

"Yeah." Noah looks away, running a hand over his shaved head. "She..."

"I know," Kurt cuts in, stepping closer again. "Santana really did tell me everything but it doesn't matter."

"Good."

There's silence for a moment before Kurt nervously asks, "Do you want to meet them? I can..."

"No, I'm not ready to face Santana again." He looks at Kurt then, his grin firmly in place again. "What about a coffee? And I want your number, we can't keep meeting like this."

"I know right?" Kurt chuckles before falling into steps next to Noah. "I mean, we have already met three times so randomly, what if there's not a fourth time?"

"So you like me, huh?" Noah asks, bumping his shoulder with Kurt's.

Kurt doesn't look away from the hazel eyes staring at him. "Yeah, I do."

"Cool. I like you too."


	4. April

**April - So Kiss Him**

"So, wait, let me get this straight. You're going out with Noah Puckerman and you haven't even kissed yet?" Santana snorts behind her mug and Kurt has to stop himself from throwing a piece of toast at her face.

"Yes we haven't kissed yet."

"Why?" Brittany asks sitting down next to her girlfriend. "Isn't he hot anymore?"

"It's..." Kurt shrugs and takes a sip from his coffee before looking at the two girls sitting in front of him. Brittany is wearing her bright pink pajamas while Santana is in her shorts and tank top, her hair tousled from the sleep and probably from something else Kurt doesn't really want to think about. "I'm a bit scared."

"Of what?"

"His record is coming out in two months and he will be some kind of a rock star and..."

"I have to stop you right there, Kurt." Santana puts her mug on the table and looks determinedly at her best friend. "Just because he'll be famous or whatever and let me remind you that you don't know that, that doesn't mean that he's out of your league or whatever bullshit you're thinking. He likes you, he said so himself, trust him."

"I really want to see him again, Kurt," Brittany tells him. "So you have to kiss him and bring him back home so we can see if he's still the hottest guy ever."

"Every time I have started a relationship, I got kissed. I have never kissed someone first, not to start a relationship at least."

"And they all worked out so well," Santana says sarcastically. "Maybe it's time to change things a little."

"You're going out tonight, right?" Brittany asks.

"Yes."

"Kiss him. If you drag it for any longer, you may end up with a friend instead of a boyfriend."

Santana nods before getting up. "Tell him we want to see him, okay? He's the only one we liked back in school."

"And Mike and Artie too," Brittany corrects her following her girlfriend back to their bedroom.

"And Quinn wasn't so bad," Kurt hears Santana answer before the door is closed.

Kurt stares down at his half-eaten breakfast for a little while. He hates being insecure, but there is a part of his brain telling him that if he is so scared and nervous, it's because he really wants things to work out.

* * *

><p>They are walking side by side, their fingers brushing together and before Kurt can reach out and entwine them, Noah grins at him and grabs his hand.<p>

The date was great just like the others. Noah took him to see a concert of one of his friends and then they ate hot-dogs from a stand. When he was younger, Kurt would have hated a date like this because it was far from an ordinary romantic dates but with Noah, it feels perfect.

"Santana and Brittany want to see you again."

Noah glances at him looking doubtful. "Is Santana still as bitchy as ever?"

Kurt laughs and nods. "Yeah she is but sometimes, Brittany can actually make her seem more human. And she's always relaxed when she's with Charlie."

Puck frowns. "Charlie?"

"She didn't accept herself right away."

"I know. She came out to the glee club on the last day of school our Senior Year."

Kurt nods. "When we came here, she had a bit of a crisis because she loved Britt but Brittany told her that if they got together, then Santana had to be sure that she accepted herself. So Santana went out with a guy that went to college with her and she got pregnant. The guy has been helping her ever since, but she wants to do almost everything on her own. She lets me and Brittany help form time to time."

They walk in silence for a while and the more they get closer to Kurt's apartment, the more Kurt can't stop thinking about kissing Noah.

"I'm happy she kept him," Noah finally says. "I guess she told you about Beth."

Kurt smiles softly at him and squeezes the hand he's holding. "She did. I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you."

Noah nods and sighs heavily, looking at the cars passing by in the street instead of looking at Kurt.

"Knowing her, you wouldn't think, but she's a great mother."

"Good." When they reach Kurt's apartment, Noah says, "I really want to see them again, and meet Charlie, but not tonight. I'm not really ready."

"Okay. It means that I get another date in the mean time."

"Of course."

Noah's eyes travel down to Kurt's lips and before he can change his mind, Kurt reaches out, grabbing the lapels of Noah's jacket and pulling him closer and then, they're finally kissing.

Noah puts his hands around Kurt's neck, his thumbs tilting his chin up to get a better angle for the kiss. And Kurt's hands slid around Noah's waist, clenching the soft leather of the man's jacket in his hands.

Kurt isn't a lot shorter than Noah, just a couple of inches, but he still gets up on his tiptoes so he can get closer and press his lips against Noah's a little bit harder.

When they pull apart to breath, Noah's lips are curved into a smug grin and Kurt just kisses that stupid smile off of his face.

"Puckerman! Get your ass up here!"

Santana's voice breaks the moment and Kurt and Noah pull away laughing. Noah looks up at the window where Santana is leaning out from.

"Hey Lopez!" He waves his hand a little before looking back at Kurt. "I'll call you, okay?"

Kurt nods and kisses Noah again before stepping out of the embrace and walking towards the door of his condo. "Next time you walk me home, you will have to come up."

"You can walk me home then."

Kurt shakes his head, laughing, and walks inside.


	5. May

**May – Meet My Family... **

When the doorbell rings, Kurt looks at Santana with an icy glare. "Say anything to make him feel uncomfortable, and I won't talk to you anymore."

The girl rolls her eyes before sitting down on the couch with a fake smile on her face. "Please, let your boy come in. I promise no harm will be done to him."

Brittany laughs shaking her head a little before sitting down next to her girlfriend. "Charlie is sleeping."

"Good," Santana says with a honest smile.

Kurt walks to the door and opens it grabbing Noah's arm to drag him inside before the boy changes his mind. "Hey."

Noah takes a moment to kiss his boyfriend before looking towards the two girls sitting on the couch. "Hey, Britt, Satan."

Brittany gets up from the couch and runs up to Noah pulling him into a tight embrace that the boy reciprocates with no hesitation.

"How are you Brit?"

"Great." She pulls back and kisses him on the cheek. "It's been so long but you're still the hottest guy ever."

Noah laughs and when he looks away from Brittany, his eyes fall on Kurt and he notices the big smile on his face and for the first time, he really realizes how much this means to him. So he pulls himself away from Brittany and walks over to Santana. He grins down at her with that boyish smirk he used in high school to charm girls and cougars.

"You forgot to come out," Santana tells him but despite the evil smirk on her face that is just as familiar as Noah's grin, she sounds almost happy to see him.

"What can I say? I decided to leave the high school coming out to you." He reaches down and grabs her hand pulling her up from the couch and hugging her. She tries for only a moment to resist. When he pulls back he says, "How is the lesbian life treating you?"

"Great. I'd ask how your gay life is treating you, but I know your boyfriend is great in the sack."

"Santana!"

Noah laughs sitting down on the couch. "Is there something you want to tell me, Kurt?"

Kurt rolls his eyes. "Please, I go for blond in girls," he jokes.

"How did you meet anyway?" Noah asks when Kurt is sitting next to him. He slides an arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer.

"We saw him in the Lima Bean one afternoon," Brittany answers him sitting down in the armchair. Santana sits on the armrest and crosses her arms in front of her chest.

"He looked like someone had just kicked his puppy or something."

"I had just broke up with my first boyfriend, of course I looked sad."

"We sat down with him and asked what was wrong." Santana pauses for a moment before rolling her eyes. "Actually, Brittany wanted to cheer him up and I just followed her."

"He's been our best fried ever since," Brittany says.

"Can't believe we never met in Lima," Noah says after a minute. "But I'm kind of glad that we didn't actually."

Kurt looks up at him with a frown. "Why?"

"If we met while I was still in high school, I would probably have been a jerk to you."

"You were a jerk with everyone," Santana says.

"Yeah and you were a bitch with everyone."

Santana shrugs like it's not a big deal. "Nothing changed there."

"See? I told you that you didn't have to be scared of her," Kurt tells Noah with a smile.

"Puckerman, you're such a girl."

Brittany and Kurt laugh together.

"Where's Charlie?" Noah asks then. "I really wanted to meet him."

"He's sleeping. But hey, if you stay over," Santana says with a mischievous grin, "you can meet him over breakfast."

Kurt blushes a little lowering his head. Truth to be told, he is trying to take things slowly and not just because he knows how Noah used to be because he really meant it when he said that he didn't care about his past, but because he wants this to be important to both of them and it's been so long since Kurt has last been in a relationship, that he doesn't want to rush things. It took him three months for kissing Noah, and he doesn't want to just jump into bed with him now.

Noah shrugs noncommittally and waits for Brittany and Santana to announce that they have to check on dinner before looking at Kurt and say, "I can stay over if you want but just to sleep if..."

Kurt smiles at him. "You would really want to stay over and have to face Santana first thing in the morning without even have sex in return?"

"Yeah, yeah, I would."

And Kurt feels like his heart could burst from joy. Unbelievably corny, he knows, but this doesn't make it any less true.

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><p><strong><em>AN: I'm not too sure about this chapter but I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for the reviews!_**


	6. June

**June – When it's Summer, I will Tell You 'I Love You'...**

It's almost a routine now. Sometimes Kurt sleeps over at Noah's and sometimes it's the other way around. If he has to be honest, Kurt likes it better when Noah sleeps over because it means that in the morning, he doesn't have to rush to get at work on time.

When they leave the apartment, Noah walks him to work, and sometimes, it feels like they have been together for years, and Kurt fears they might be moving too quickly, but it feels so right that he can't bring himself to care.

His eyes travel up and down Noah's body, lingering on the boy's soft and full lips before he glances towards the wardrobe where Noah's shirts are hung next to his. They're not living together, but Noah sleeps over three times a week, sometimes even four, and he has to have some of his things over at Kurt's. It's practical, that's all, really.

When he looks back at his boyfriend, Kurt sighs, lying back on his pillow and scooting a little closer.

"Stop staring."

Kurt laughs. "Can't help it."

Noah's lips curve into a smile and his hand, that was resting on Kurt's hip, slides downward until it's resting at the small of Kurt's back to bring him closer.

Sleepy hazel eyes look at him. "Morning."

"Morning," Kurt says back before closing the distance between them to get a soft kiss before rolling over and getting out of bed. "C'mon, I'm going to make breakfast."

Noah groans rolling on his stomach and hiding his head under his pillow and Kurt tries not to read too much in the fact that now that's Noah's pillow, Noah's side of bed.

Kurt walks in the kitchen with a big smile on his face. He's surprised to find Charlie sitting at the table. He walks up to the kid and ruffles his dark curls eliciting a giggle from him.

"Hey."

"'ning Kurtie."

"Where's your mom?"

"In bathroom. I'm hungry."

"I'll make you breakfast. You can eat with me and Noah, is that okay?"

Charlie nods vigorously. "I like Noah."

Kurt smiles at him before starting to fix breakfast. The first thing he does is to pour milk into Charlie's cup and hand it over to the boy before starting on making the waffles for him and Noah knowing that Santana and Brittany will only eat cereals.

Noah walks in the kitchen when the first waffles are ready and ruffles Charlie's hair and greets him with a, "What's up, Champ?" before walking over to the stove to steal a waffle.

Kurt doesn't even try to stop him anymore. The words that would best describe what he feels in that moment, are stuck in his throat, lost in the desire of saving it for a better time that won't be as cheesy as saying it over breakfast, with a kid that looks at them with such affection in his eyes, that he could just as well be theirs.

So he busies himself with making breakfast even with Noah's hands on his hips and his lips leaving kisses down Kurt's neck.

"Jesus. It's only been three months and you're already looking domestic."

Santana's voice breaks the moment and Kurt is almost relieved because he's feeling too much too soon.

* * *

><p>Truth is, no one would believe it, but Santana is a lawyer, a really good one, and it's what Charlie's father does as well.<p>

So Kurt is used by now to tag along with Brittany at those parties that Santana and Matthew's firm has every couple of months.

This time it's different thought, because Noah is there with them and there are times when Kurt can't look away from him.

"You really like him."

Kurt turns around finding Brittany looking at Noah. He nods even though it wasn't really a question.

"I love him."

"Did you tell him?"

"No." He sighs and looks back at his boyfriend. "Don't you think it's too much too soon?"

Brittany shrugs, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass absentmindedly. "Not everyone needs the same time to realize something. Sometimes, you just know."

Kurt looks at her for a moment before nodding. "Guess you're right."

* * *

><p>"I love you." It comes completely out of nowhere, he's surprised to hear himself saying it and he can read surprise on Noah's face.<p>

They're watching Project Runaway even thought Noah hates it and only sits through it because Kurt likes it, and because they make out during commercials.

"I was trying to find the perfect moment to tell you, but now it just came out and you don't have to say anything back, just..." '_please don't say 'I love you too.'_

"Kurt..." Noah grabs his arm making him stop rambling and looks right into Kurt's eyes. "I love you."

Everything feels a little easier then.


	7. July

_A/N: I'm so sorry it took me this long to update, but I had to finish the first part for the Kurt Big Bang but here's the new chapter and I hope you guys like it!_

* * *

><p><strong>July - I Promise You Honesty<strong>

When Noah's CD finally comes out, Noah goes on MTV and does interviews and his photos are suddenly everywhere and Kurt, being Kurt, Googles his boyfriend and finds about girls creating forums about Noah and talking about how hot he is. It goes without saying that Kurt gets jealous.

When Noah has his first show in a little club in New York, they are all there and Kurt is actually having fun until he sees a girl throwing her bra at Noah.

"Did you see that?" Brittany asks.

"Yeah, I did." Kurt tries not to get jealous, to play it cool, but then Noah smirks at the girl and Kurt really loses any rational thoughts.

"They want to be his groupies," he says, glancing between Santana and Brittany.

"What were you expecting?" Santana asks.

Kurt doesn't answer because he knows Santana is right. Noah is talented and hot, the new star around, and Kurt should have expected it. However, that does not mean that Kurt has to be okay with it.

"Maybe this is your crisis," Brittany says, swaying in time with the music and without looking away from Noah. "Normal people have the seventh year's crisis but you overreact most of the time, so instead, you will have the seventh month's crisis."

Santana laughs shaking her head and slides her fingers through Brittany's.

When the show ends, Noah walks right up to Kurt and kisses him, the guitar still in his arms and if he notices that Kurt kisses him a little harder and hugs him a little tighter, he doesn't say anything. He understands without having to ask.

* * *

><p>When they're back home, sitting side by side on the edge of the bed both looking straight ahead, Noah says, "I won't cheat on you."<p>

Kurt looks over at his boyfriend but doesn't pretend not to know what Noah is talking about. There's a part of himself that wonders if someone could actually promise something like that.

"I know that it bothers you, but I want you to know, I won't cheat on you even if I flirt on stage. It's different from what we have, Kurt."

Kurt nods because he knows that what they have it's different and he also knows that this shouldn't bother him as much as it does. He feels like he's letting Noah down in some way because he's letting this get to him so he lowers his gaze to his lap where his hands are clasped together.

Noah sighs heavily looking intently at his boyfriend even though Kurt isn't looking back.

"The moment I think things between us aren't working anymore, I will come find you and I will talk to you and if I feel like it's something that it can't be solved, I will break up with you." He scoots closer to Kurt and reaches out, taking one of Kurt's hands in his. "I promise you honesty, Kurt, always."

"I don't know why it bothers me so much," Kurt finally says. "I trust you," he rolls his eyes at himself, "that sounded so predictable but I really mean it. I don't think you will cheat on me, Noah, I wouldn't be with you otherwise. I don't know why I'm jealous I just know that I am and it's so childish but..."

"As I'm sure you already know, I was never one for settle down," Noah cuts him off.

"And now you are?" Kurt asks, tentatively, almost regretting the question in fear of what the answer could be.

"I'm trying." Noah's answer is honest and Kurt finds himself smiling for the first time in hours. "But what I understood growing up like I did, is that for me being in love with someone, liking someone, doesn't make me blind. I still recognize beauty when I see it, but for me, being in love with you, means that even when I think that someone is good looking, I don't act on that instinct because I respect you and what we have." He waits for Kurt to look up at him before saying anything else and when Kurt finally does, he smiles at his boyfriend. "I like that you're jealous, it means that you care. When you go to fashion events and there are models everywhere, I get jealous too."

"Really?" Kurt asks laughing.

"Yeah, really." Noah cups Kurt's cheek with his hand and leans in forward, his breath ghosting over Kurt's lips. "I like you a lot in case you hadn't noticed," he jokes, grinning before liking his lips and getting even closer. "And I love you, Kurt, trust me?"

Kurt closes his hand around Noah's wrist and he looks right into Noah's eyes when he quietly says, "I do."


	8. August

**August – Going Back**

The last days of the hottest month of the year comes with the unexpected request of, "come meet my mother?"

Kurt stops in the doorway trying to balance his shoulder bag, the coffee and the muffin he's holding in his hands. He looks at Noah with both eyebrows raised. "What?"

"I know I don't mention my mother or sister a lot, but your father is coming to visit soon and I will meet him but my mom hates New York, so I thought you could come with me tomorrow and meet her and my sister."

Kurt walks back inside Noah's apartment and closes the door with his foot. "Why are you asking me now?" Kurt frowns when he suddenly understands. He puts his things on the little table by the door and looks at his boyfriend. "You think that since you're not giving me a lot of notice and I have to hurry to work, I will just say yes but if you gave me time to think about it, then I'll say no."

Noah nods, looking away. "Because they're in Lima and you don't want to go back there."

Kurt just looks at his boyfriend for a few seconds. It doesn't really takes long to come to a decision because even though he'd rather live under a bridge than go back to Lima, he's an adult now and even though he might not always take the best decisions, he still knows the right thing to do most of the times.

"Alright," he says, sighing a little before smiling. Noah looks at Kurt with a raised eyebrow and Kurt chuckles. "While it's true that I swore to myself to never go back, I get that this is important for you. You never said that you wouldn't meet my dad and I'd be selfish if I didn't agree to meet your mother and sister. Besides," he pauses and gets closer to his boyfriend, sliding his arms around his neck, "if we go to Lima, it means that you will meet my father in a place you can run away from."

Noah snorts, resting his hands on Kurt's hips. They shouldn't be doing this now because Kurt is already late to work, but he can't stop himself from leaning closer, his lips a breath away from his boyfriend's. "I won't have to run away," he says, sure of himself. "Your father is going to love me," he whispers, before taking Kurt's lips into a hungry kiss.

* * *

><p>When Noah walks inside his childhood home, he's feeling happy. In this moment life it's great. His CD is selling well, he has Brittany, Santana and Charlie as friends and Kurt is right there with him. He feels magnificent.<p>

"Mom?" he calls, squeezing Kurt's hand reassuringly.

A few moments later Mrs. Puckerman comes down the stairs, a big smile on her face.

"Noah, you're home!" she says, pulling her son into a tight embrace.

Kurt looks at the scene feeling uncomfortable and if it wasn't for the fact that Noah was still holding his hand (he really knows Kurt that well), he would have already left. It's not that he has problems with Noah's mother, it's just that he's not used to be around parents in general except for his own father, of course. The fact that he feels like he's intruding, doesn't help either.

"Mom, this is Kurt," Noah says, pulling away from his mother and pushing Kurt forward.

Kurt had pictured this moment in his head, every possible scenario except for the one that actually happens. He gets grabbed and hugged tightly and an honest, "It's good to finally meet you," is said right in his ear.

Noah laughs, letting go of Kurt's hand.

"Noah has been talking about you for months. I'm so happy you decided to come," Mrs. Puckerman says releasing her hold on Kurt.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Puckerman."

"Call me Adele," she tells him cheerfully. "Are you boys hungry? Sarah won't be home for a few hours." She disappears in the kitchen before the boys can answer.

Noah kisses Kurt on the cheek, telling him, "See? Everything's okay."

Now they just have to face Burt the next day.

* * *

><p>The dinner goes smoothly. Sarah, Noah's sister, is friendly enough to be able to put Kurt at ease. She asks about celebrities he has met at fashion events and by the time Noah and Kurt leave the house to go back to their hotel, Kurt feels like he's already part of the family. He is surprised because no one in Lima has ever accepted him that quickly and he can't help but feel extremely happy about it.<p>

"That wasn't too bad now, was it?" Noah asks as soon as they are standing in their hotel room.

Kurt shakes his head smiling. He walks over to the bed and flops down, kicking his shoes away and relaxing against the mattress. Between the flight, the meeting with Puck's family and the nervousness of being back in Lima, Kurt feels exhausted. He feels the mattress dipping and he turns his head to the side opening his eyes.

Noah looks down at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes and his hand reaches out, sneaking under Kurt's white shirt and caressing his stomach. He doesn't look away from Kurt's sparkling blue eyes while he slides his hand lower and lower until his fingers reach Kurt's jeans. He licks his lips slowly and he feels proud of himself when Kurt puts his own hand over Noah's urging him to go lower.

"I was thinking of thanking you for dropping everything at work, sacrifice one week of your Christmas holidays just so you could come with me even though I didn't trust you and only asked you to come at the last moment."

Kurt grabs hold of Noah's t-shirt, clenching the soft cotton material in his hand and using it to get Noah closer. "I think I need a little reward after all," he says flirtatiously. Being with Noah always makes him feel more confident, makes him act bolder. He takes Noah's plump lower lip between his teeth, nipping at it gently while he feels his boyfriend's hand cupping him through his jeans.

Noah smiles, sliding the fingers of his free hand through Kurt's hair while he uses his other hand to work his boyfriend's jeans open. He's already painfully hard but he wants this to be about Kurt, so he lets go of his boyfriend and stands up before kneeling at the edge of the bed between Kurt's legs.

When Kurt gets up on his elbows so he can look down, Puck only takes a moment to smirk at his glazed expression before he starts working on Kurt's reward.

* * *

><p>Meeting Burt Hummel is an interesting experience for Noah. He was never good with relationships so he never met parents except for when they'd catch him sneaking out of their daughters' windows which would then consist of insults shouted at him while he ran away.<p>

But when he walks inside his boyfriend's home, Kurt's hand holding his tightly, it's not really what he had been expecting.

The first thing he notices is that his once-upon-a-time-best friend is standing in the middle of the living room and his mom, Carole, is looking at him surprised. Burt is nowhere to be seen and Noah can feel how nervous Kurt is from the way he's squeezing his hand almost painfully.

"Your father didn't tell us that you were coming," Carole says, and she looks as much out of place as Kurt.

"It was a last moment thing," Kurt says, his eyes darting between the woman and Finn. "Who are you?"

"I'm Carole and this is Finn," she says, waving a hand towards her son and silently telling him to come closer. "We... This is so embarrassing," she laughs nervously. "Your father wanted to surprise you so he was going to take us with him when he came to visit you next month and explain everything."

Kurt furrows his brow, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he settles on just looking at the strangers in his childhood home with a cold stare. "Are you living here?"

"We moved in a couple of months ago because your father wants to marry my mom," Finn cuts in, looking uncomfortably between Kurt and Noah. "Puck, since when are you gay?" he asks.

"That's really none of your business, Hudson." Noah knows that perhaps he should be more friendly because it looks like this is Kurt's father's new family, but they are making Kurt look sad and detached and he hates it. He tags on Kurt's hand making his boyfriend look at him. "Maybe we should come back later, when your father is home."

Kurt shakes his head and looks at Carole and Finn one last time before turning around. "No, no let's just go over to the shop and we will talk there so then we can leave."

"Kurt..."

"It was nice to meet you," he says, cutting off his boyfriend and sounding insincere. He turns around and walks out the door dragging Noah behind him before Carole can actually say anything.

They drive in their rented car in silence, Kurt staring out the window and Noah glancing away from the road from time to time to look at him. Kurt only speaks to give directions and when they reach the "Hummel's Tyre and Lube," Kurt just sits there staring at the garage as if seeing it for the first time.

"When I left," he says after long minutes without glancing at Noah. "I told my father I was never coming back. He didn't believe me of course, but then the first Christmas came and went and I didn't come back and he finally understood that I was serious so he started coming to New York whenever he could." He sighs heavily and finally looks at his boyfriend. "I didn't want him to be alone, but he didn't tell me and they were there in my mom's house and..."

"It's okay," Noah says, reaching out to place his hand on Kurt's shoulder to squeeze it tightly in reassurance. "Whatever you're feeling right now, it's okay. Whether you are feeling pissed or just sad, it's okay."

Kurt smiles at him tentatively, before looking back towards the entrance of his father's garage. "I never really thought he'd find someone else or that he would live with a brand new family without telling me." He lowers his gaze down to his lap. "Finn is a sport guy, right?"

"Yeah," Noah answers, unsure of what this has to do with anything.

"It's like, my father's dream son."

"Kurt, don't say that. Let's go inside and talk to your father, okay? It will be okay."

Kurt nods but Noah can see that he's not really sure so he gets out of the car, walks to the other side, opens the door and practically drags Kurt out and towards the garage. When they walk inside a man big and scary comes towards them and when he's close enough Noah can read "Burt" on his coverall's tag.

"I'm your son's boyfriend," he says and Burt arcs an eyebrow at him.

"Carole just called," Burt says, looking between his son and Noah. "Did you just drag him inside?"

"He needs to talk to you, Sir. I'll be waiting in the car." He lets go of Kurt's hand and kisses him briefly before walking out before Kurt can try and stop him.

He's not sure what happens then because Kurt comes out two hours later, his eyes red and swollen like he's been crying. He's about to ask what went wrong when Kurt looks at him after he has closed the car door behind him and says, "I talked to him and I told him we're leaving tomorrow and that I didn't want to have dinner with him and Carole and Finn just yet. He said to tell you thank you and that he really appreciated the fact that you risked to fight with me to make sure I talked to him." He smiles then and leans forward so he can kiss his boyfriend on the cheek. "You're pretty amazing."

Noah doesn't stop smiling until after they have reached the hotel and Kurt is kissing him hungrily.


	9. September

_Thank you so much for all the reviews and I'm so sorry it took me this long to update!_

**September - I Thought the First Year Was Supposed to be Easy**

He doesn't ask if Kurt is okay because he's pretty sure no one would feel okay after finding out that their father pretty much has another life. Once they're back in New York, Kurt doesn't talk about Burt coming to visit with that same excitement he had before they went to Lima; in fact, he never talks about it anymore.

Sometimes Noah catches Santana glaring at him like she's waiting for him to fix whatever is wrong with Kurt and Brittany keeps looking at him with sympathy.

When September rolls around, Noah's manager calls him to announce that he will have his first national tour, that he's supposed to leave the first week of October. Al tells him that it's not a big deal, that he will be gone for just a little longer than a month because it's a small tour just to get more people to know who Noah is.

But the problem is that Noah doesn't know how to tell Kurt because Burt is coming to visit in October and he doesn't want to leave Kurt alone for it and he doesn't want to have to fight because he's leaving when he's supposed to meet Kurt's dad (because he's sure that the brief meeting between them in Lima doesn't really count as an introduction).

He asks Santana about how he's supposed to tell Kurt but it doesn't really go how he imagined, or maybe, it goes exactly like he should have imagined.

"You're a jerk, Puckerman."

"It's not my fault I have to leave."

"I'm not talking about that." She punches him in the shoulder and glares at him. "You should talk with him you know? You're not a boy anymore, you're supposed to be a man which means that you can't go around asking people how you should behave."

"Look, when we were in Lima, he…"

Santana raises an eyebrow and shifts closer. "Yes?"

He remembers that Kurt didn't say anything to Santana when it's already too late. "Nothing, forget about it."

"Puckerman, spill it."

"No." He gets up and walks over to the door. Maybe they're adults now and it's been way too long from high school, but Santana is still scary and Noah is pretty sure that will never change. "I just don't know how he will take it because we haven't been together long and his father is coming to visit in October."

For a moment it looks like Santana isn't going let it go and will ask about what happened in Lima, but she ends up sighing and crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Look, I don't know what happened with Burt, but Kurt knows about how important self realization is, so he won't try to stop you and he won't try to guilt you into staying, no matter what. I suggest you don't even let him think you'd expect that from him."

Noah just nods before walking out of the apartment.

* * *

><p>"So I told her that Millie and I can't just pack up our things and fly to Los Angeles just because she wants to marry again and is suddenly too busy to go…" Kurt puts the bowl of pop-corn down on the coffee table and sits down next to Noah. "I mean, it's her fifth marriage, anyway."<p>

"When should you leave?" Noah asks.

"I'm not. Dad is coming here next month and it's the same week so I can't go."

Noah notices how Kurt's shoulders tense under his arm. "Are you still upset?" It's a stupid question and one that would get most people angry and Kurt frowns and moves away a little before he catches himself doing it and relaxes against Noah again.

"Yes."

"Is he coming with Carole and Finn?"

"Yes."

They stay in silence for a few minutes before Kurt reaches for the remote and starts the DVD.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kurt shakes his head reaching for the bowl of pop-corn and settling it in his lap.

The opening credits aren't even finished when Noah takes a deep breath and says, "I need to tell you something."

Kurt looks up at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"I need to leave on the first week of October. Al booked me some shows here and there. It's just a month long, not a big deal and…"

"Stop." Kurt sits upright and looks at Noah with such intensity that he is afraid that they will end up fighting. "It's your first tour, it is a big deal. Why would you talk about it that way?"

"Because he said so himself."

"Then he's a moron." He stops for a moment and then narrows his eyes shifting on the couch until he's as far away from Noah as he can without actually getting up. "Did you think I was going to get angry at you or guilt you into staying or threaten to break up with you?"

He didn't consider the last option but the other ones yes and suddenly, he feels ashamed and he has to look down when he nods.

"Well, thank you so much for the vote of confidence," Kurt says sarcastically.

"I just thought you'd get angry because your father is coming to visit and ever since we came back from Lima, you've been sad. It's not the right moment for me to leave and…"

"I would never ask you to put your career on hold for me or to give up something like your first tour just because of my personal problems. You should know me." Kurt gets up from the couch this time and goes to retrieve his shoes so he can leave.

Noah is too stunned from how quickly everything went down hill to get up and go after him. But after a second, Kurt appears in the doorway again, one shoe on and the other in his hand. "I can't believe you'd think this of me!"

For a moment Noah wants to laugh because Kurt looks like he's about to throw his shoe at him and it looks too much like a scene out of a movie to be really happening. "I just thought you'd need me here and that you'd get angry because I wasn't meeting…" He trails off and shakes his head. "I should have listened to Santana."

"What?"

"She told me you'd never ask me to stay and that I should never have let you think I thought that you would but I didn't listen and…" He frowned and diverted his gaze.

"Why did you ask Santana?"

Kurt sounds amused and Noah looks up at him with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't want to fight with you and I thought that since she's your best friend, she'd know what I was supposed to do. But I didn't listen anyway so now we're fighting."

Kurt lets his shoe fall down and walks over to the couch, stumbling a little because he's only wearing one sneaker. "I don't like that you'd think that of me. I know," he says, when Noah opens his mouth to argue, "that you didn't want to tell me because you thought I wouldn't want to face my father and his new family on my own, and it's true, I need you here but I don't want you to think that I don't care about you as much as you care about me." He looks away, a deep frown on his face. "Damn, it hurt."

Noah swallows around the lump forming in his throat and slides his hands up and down his jeans out of frustration. "I'm sorry."

Kurt just nods and when he looks back at Noah, he's trying to smile. "I want you to be successful, Noah, because I want you happy and you shouldn't think you can't tell me something because of how I could react or that you should keep something from me because it may hurt me." He shifts closer to Noah and entwines their fingers. "You promised me honesty, remember?" he whispers.

Noah squeezes his hand, nodding.

"So that's what I expect from you, okay?"

Noah nods and shifts closer until he and Kurt are pressed together from thigh to shoulder. "I don't want to leave you alone because I saw how hurt you were."

"I know." This time Kurt smiles honestly and leans his forehead against Noah's. "But this is important for you and so it's important for me. So go on your tour and don't worry, okay? Santana and Brittany are here and my dad has always been a little afraid of Santana. I'll be okay. They're only staying a week after all and I'm sure you will get to meet him properly another time."

Noah can't help but lean forward until their lips are pressed together. He grips Kurt's face between his hands while he nips at Kurt's lower lip until Kurt opens his mouth and lets him in. He feels Kurt's hands on his shoulders, gripping his shirt tightly in his hands. It all feels a little too desperate for Puck, and he hates it, it makes him feel uneasy and like as if for the first time since they started dating, they came close to lose what they had and like Kurt is clutching at him fearing that he will just leave.

He pulls away then and stares right into Kurt's eyes and they are shining like Kurt's trying to keep the tears at bay. "I'm not going anywhere," he says because it feels like that's what Kurt needs to hear in that moment and because it's what he feels. Even just after a few months, he feels tethered to Kurt and he doesn't want to go away, doesn't feel the need to go away…

And when Kurt smiles at him and nods, he finally gets that Kurt is afraid that people will leave him and move on without him because if his father did, why should someone else don't? Suddenly, he doesn't like Burt Hummel at all.


	10. October

**October – Moving Forward**

_But either way, I've made up my mind.  
>I'm through feeling scared, I'm leaving that behind. <em>

After Noah leaves, Kurt does feel lonely but he refuses to be one of those person that can't function on their own when their partners are away. So he goes to work every morning on time, watches Charlie for Santana and Brittany when they go out, and at night, he talks with Noah. It's hard, but not impossible.

Once Burt and his family arrive in New York, Kurt tries to be friendly even though Santana has already told him more than once that he doesn't have to do anything because Burt kept everything a secret, didn't give him time to adjust to Carole and Finn.

The meeting between his family and Burt's doesn't really go smoothly because Santana could never stand Finn in high school and now it's even worse because Finn's presences makes Kurt feel uncomfortable and Santana has decided that it's her job to be bitchy at the guy for Kurt.

Kurt is just happy that Burt, Carole and Finn are staying in a hotel.

It's nice to have his father there with him, to show him his new work place, to see him playing granddad with Charlie as always, but he can't help but feel like Carole and Finn are intruding. He does his best to act as if he's okay with them, but once it's night and he's at home and Burt and his family are at the hotel, he stops pretending.

"How is it going?" Noah's voice sounds slightly metallic through the computer and Kurt really wishes he was there with him.

Shrugging, he sets the laptop on the bed and curls up on his side, looking at his boyfriend. "Not really great. I thought I'd be okay with it but I can't wait for tomorrow to be here."

Puck sighs heavily and tries to smile. "When are they leaving?"

"In the evening. How is it going with the tour?"

Puck's eyes light up and he starts waving his hands around with enthusiasm while he describes everything to Kurt and Kurt feels happy. When he's talking with Puck, he's able to shut all the rest out. He laughs along with his boyfriend and listens to every detail avidly so he can pretend that he's there with Puck.

* * *

><p>Kurt smiles at Carole when she kisses him on the cheek once they're at the airport. His smile is small and forced and he can read in Carole's eyes that she knows he's uncomfortable and still hurt. Not for the first time, he tells himself that he has every right to be upset because it's not like he doesn't want his father to be happy and have a family, it's just the way his father went about it.<p>

"It's been really nice to spend some time with you, Kurt," Carole tells him. She pats him on the cheek and Kurt nods. After she turns around to walk inside the airport, Finn stands there for a few moments, looking at Kurt as if he's unsure on what to do.

In the end, he clears his throat and says. "I'll see you, Kurt."

"Bye, Finn."

They don't try to hug each other, and after a little wave Finn turns around and leaves too leaving Kurt standing outside the airport with Burt.

"I'm sorry I missed your boyfriend."

Kurt nods looking up at his father. "He really wanted to meet you too. I'm sure you will meet him some other time you came here."

Burt studies his son for a moment then, the way his lips curve into a smile whenever he's mentioning his boyfriend. "So, are you planning on making this a serious thing?"

Kurt frowns. "What?"

"What you have with Noah, because from what I've seen and heard, you seem to be taking this seriously."

"I am. We are," he adds quickly. "It's the first time someone means so much to me. We've been moving fast I think, but it feels right." He smiles. "I feel like an adult having an adult relationship."

Burt nods before reaching out to drag Kurt into a tight embrace. "Then I'm sure I'll meet him next time I come here."

"I may come to Lima too, you know," Kurt mumbles against Burt's flannel shirt. He hugs his father back tightly, closing his eyes for a moment. It feels familiar like nothing ever changed between them. Like being in New York didn't make Burt forget about him, like having Finn and Carole around didn't make him love Kurt any less. He swallows and pulls back. "I'm sorry for acting not really friendly with Carole and Finn."

"It's okay, they understand. Like I told you, I'm sorry."

Suddenly Carole walks out again, coming to stand next to them. "We have to go, honey," he tells Burt.

"Sure."

Kurt takes a deep breath and looks at Carole. "I hope to see you again soon, Carole."

She looks taken aback by the sudden change in Kurt's behavior, but she recovers quickly. "I can't wait."

Kurt hugs them both this time, before he finally pulls back and starts walking away. He doesn't stop a taxi right away but simply walks. When he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket, he's already smiling knowing who's going to be.

"I think I've managed to grow up," he says. He hears Noah laugh on the other end of the line. "It had to happen sooner or later."

"_Don't change too much while I'm away._"

He can hear Noah's uncertainty in his voice and he can understand because they've been together just for a few months, but like he told Burt, he feels confident about what they have, like he's moving forward from doubting things and fearing everything will turn out to be bad. Despite that, however, he still fears losing Noah because what they have means too much to him not to fear losing it. "I won't," he finally says. He stops a taxi and gets inside, quickly telling the driver his address.

While his eyes follow the lights moving quickly outside the window, he relaxes against the seat. "Tell me about your day?"


	11. November

**November - Comeback **

_I like to see people reunited, I like to see people run to each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can't tell fast enough, the ears that aren't big enough, the eyes that can't take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone._

_— Jonathan Safran Foer_

For a long time, Kurt used to believe that he wasn't one of those people who wore their hearts on their sleeve. Later on, growing older, he realized that he was exactly like that. More often than not people were able to tell with just one look how he was feeling, be that sadness or anger.

Santana always knew when he wanted to be left alone and Brittany could always tell when he needed to eat pizza and watch a movie to keep his mind from wandering to his problems.

Coming to the realization that he wasn't as subtle as he liked to think, makes Kurt feel free to react to seeing Noah again with honesty.

It has been just a little over a month and they haven't even known each other for a year so missing each other shouldn't be this hard, except that it is. There are times when Kurt feels like Noah's life just kind of fell into steps with his own and once he was gone, it became hard to get at the end of the day without meeting Noah or without him coming over so they could hang out with Brittany, Santana and Charlie.

He didn't even care about Santana muttering "whipped" when he had left for the airport.

As soon as the arrival of the plane from LA is announced, Kurt starts to bounce on the heels of his expensive boots. He gets up on his tiptoes trying to spot Noah in the crowd. It feels like forever before he's finally able to see that familiar shaved head and he doesn't even care that once upon a time, he would have hated looking like one of those characters from romantic comedies or sad movies that as soon as they spot their lovers, drop everything and rash into their arms.

When Noah spots him, his lips curve into a grin and Kurt can see that he's quickening his pace trying to stop himself from actually running. And that's all it takes for Kurt to start walking just as fast towards his boyfriend because if Noah doesn't care about showing how much he has missed Kurt, Kurt is sure as hell not going to care either.

They're barely a foot away when Noah reaches out, grabbing Kurt's arms and pulling him up against him. Kurt's hands grip Noah's hips tightly, trying to pull him in closer even though there's not even an inch separating them.

Their lips move frantically against one another, and Kurt squeezes his eyes shut because he doesn't want to start crying, but his hands slid up Noah's back, tracing muscles that feel more defined than he remembers. He feels so happy in that moment that he doesn't care about where they're standing or that Noah's bag is lying forgotten somewhere on the floor and that could be stolen.

Noah's fingers are squeezing him arms so tightly that Kurt can feel it through the tick wool of his coat and somehow, it's still not enough.

That heart wrenching feeling of missing each other eases gradually as the kiss grows stronger, as the hold they have on each other grows tighter. When they finally manage pull away from each other, Kurt can see that Noah's eyes are as teary as his own and he starts laughing before pulling his boyfriend into a tight hug, his nose buried in the crook of Noah's shoulder, just taking him all in.

"Damn, I've missed you," Noah whispers in his hair. Kurt feels his hands trailing up and down his back, down his arms. "You're wearing a coat," Noah says and Kurt pulls away with a confused frown on his face.

"It's cold."

Noah laughs, shaking his head a little and letting his eyes raking over Kurt. "I know, but when I left, you were still wearing just a jacket."

And then Kurt gets it, his mind goes back to Noah's request of not changing too much while he was away, to how strange it felt to feel Noah's muscles bigger under his hands.

"I've missed you so much," he finds himself saying. "I tried not to be too obvious about it because Santana kept teasing me, but God I missed you so much." Kurt puts his hands around Noah's face, his eyes searching for anything that could be different, an irrational fear starting to spread inside him because this is not going to be the last time they're away from each other, not with their jobs.

And then Kurt realizes that he's okay with it. He can miss Noah and then be there when they can stop missing each other. He just wants to be there for it all like Noah is there for him. He closes the small distance between them and kisses Noah briefly, his eyes squeezed shut, his lips lingering.

Kurt feels Noah smiling against his lips, feels hands closing around his hips pulling him closer again. He pulls back smiling brightly, all sadness gone. "Let's go home."

Noah bends up to pick up his bag and then entwines his fingers with Kurt's and doesn't let go.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Well, there's only one last chapter left and then my summer project is over! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, I really love to hear what you guys think about my stories! I hope you guys liked this chapter._**


	12. December

**_A/N: This is it, the end. I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and putting the story on alert and being with me through my summer project! I hope you will like this last chapter._  
><strong>**  
><strong>

**December - Ending is the Beginning**

_What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an_

_end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from._

_- T.S. Eliot_

On the morning of the 23rd of December, Kurt stares at the calendar hanging on the wall in front of his desk with a frown upon his face while absentmindedly drumming his pencil on the table. When someone knocks on the glass of his office's door, he jumps and turns around quickly.

Millie smiles at him. "Sorry, Kurt." She walks inside the office without waiting for an invite and sits down on the chair across from Kurt, putting the stock of papers she was carrying on his desk. "Our lovely boss wants you to go over these before you leave." Millie sighs deeply and then her lips curve into a big smile. "Last day! Finally!"

Kurt nods smiling back at her before reaching for the papers she brought him. He scans them quickly barely paying attention to what he's reading.

"You seem distracted."

Putting down his pencil and relaxing against the back of his chair, Kurt looks up at her assistant. "I was thinking about Noah."

"Noah?" Millie raises a perfect blond eyebrow and slides her chair closer to the desk, as if she can't wait to hear every little detail.

"Well, about me and Noah."

"Problems in paradise?"

Kurt rolls his eyes but can't help smiling. "No. I was thinking more about the fact that in less than a week it's our anniversary. I don't know if it's one though." He scrunches up his nose and looks outside the window. "Are you supposed to consider your first meeting or the first time you went on a date?"

Millie laughed. "Oh boy."

He picks up a piece of paper and balls it up before throwing it at her. "What? Don't make fun of me, this is the first time I'm in something serious."

"What about your boyfriend in high school?"

"We didn't pay attention to that. We were kids, we had an anniversary for every thing we did. This is serious Millie, I'm an adult in an adult relationship for the first time ever and it's our anniversary," he frowns and sighs. "At least I think so."

Millie studies Kurt for a few moments, the way he's back at drumming the pencil on the table and looking out the window. It's not usual to see Kurt being so nervous and there's something about it that just makes Millie smile and shake her head. "Do you have something planned in case Noah does think it's your anniversary?"

At first Kurt just shrugs but then he glances at Millie for a moment and then stands up from his chair starting to pace. "I may have an idea."

"Are you going to propose?"

Kurt turns around quickly then, fixing her with a bewildered look. "No. We're young, we've been together for less than a year."

"Okay so whatever else it is, you don't need to freak out. I haven't seen you this nervous since the first time we were sent to the Fashion Week."

There are several minutes of silence after that, it lasts so much that Millie starts to doodle clothes on Kurt's notepad.

"I want to ask him to move in with me." Kurt frowns because that doesn't sound right, he's been thinking about it ever since Noah came back from his tour but there's always something off about the idea of him moving in with Kurt and Santana and Brittany and Charlie. And finally, he gets it. "No I don't want that," he says out loud and a new smile is already forming on his face. "I want us to move in together… in some place."

"Someplace?" Millie asked confused.

"Yes." This time, the smile on Kurt's face is blinding.

* * *

><p>Kurt doesn't ask Noah if he consider the 31st their anniversary, he just spends his time thinking about them living together. It's not something he just wants to do, it's something he wants to plan, something he wants to see in a rational way. So he thinks about it and doesn't talk about it with anyone. It's not like he's going to buy a place and then give a key to Noah. He wants a place that it's theirs not just his or Noah's. He carefully keeps his mind from wandering to how he's going to feel if Noah doesn't accept.<p>

On New Year's Eve, Kurt is so excited he can't stop smiling. Santana keeps looking at him as if he's crazy while Brittany can't help but smile back at him every time their eyes meet. They're about to walk out of their apartment when Kurt's phone rings.

"Just a moment," he says, holding up a finger. He tells them to go on and then reaches for his phone. When he sees who's calling, he can't help but roll his eyes. "Rachel," he greets with too much joy. He has a strange relationship with Noah's best friend. Sometimes he thinks that she's a female version of himself and sometimes he just wants to pretend they never met.

"_Kurt!_" Rachel's voice is both happy and worried at the same time. "_Are you on your way?_"

"Yes, I was just leaving my apartment."

"_Okay, great, don't be late, Kurt._"

And Kurt rolls his eyes because she's been telling him to be on time for the last two weeks. "Rachel, I've told you, you don't have to worry." While he's talking, he picks up his keys and walks out of the apartment making sure to lock the door before heading out to the street. "We'll be there in a few minutes. Is Noah there already?"

He hears a loud bang coming from the other side of the phone and then Rachel yelling, "Damn. I have to go Kurt. I'll see you later." She hangs up before Kurt can say anything else.

Santana, Charlie and Brittany are waiting on the sidewalk when he walks out. Charlie is in Brittany's arms dressed in his Santa Claus's Helper costume even though Santana has been telling him for days now that on New Year's Eve you don't wear a Christmas costume.

"Are you ready?" Santana asks annoyed.

"Yep." He slides his arm through hers and then they all start walking towards Rachel's apartment.

The first time Noah introduced Rachel to Kurt, they were in a tiny backstage of a theater and Rachel was quickly working on finishing her make-up. She was freaking out and he helped her and while Noah looked at them bonding with pride, Rachel kept trying to swap his hands away.

It felt strange now to consider Rachel one of his closest friends. He had never met anyone more similar to him than that small Jewish girl, not that he was going to say that to anyone.

When they arrive to Rachel's apartment, Jesse is the one who opens the door. His usual perfect hair are wild and when he sees Kurt, Brittany, Santana and Charlie, he sighs heavily. "Thank God you're finally here."

"What did she do?" Santana asks and she doesn't sound concerned at all, more like she can't wait to see Ms. Rachel Berry in troubles.

"I have no idea," Jesses answers while taking everyone's jacket. "Something wrong with one of the things she's cooking. She's been on the phone with her fathers for the last twenty minutes."

Kurt shakes his head but no one offers to go help her because they tried last time they had a "dinner for my special friends" at Rachel's house and Rachel had yelled at them to not try to help with things they know nothing about. So they all take a seat in the living room and start talking about what's going on in their lives.

Kurt keeps glancing at the door but tries to be subtle. However, when the doorbell finally rings, he's up before anyone else can say a word.

When he opens the door, Noah is standing on the other side shaking the snowflakes from his coat. He has that ridiculous yellow hat his sister sent him to shield his shaved head from the cold and despite his tanned skin, his nose is red and so are his cheeks.

Instead if pulling Noah inside, Kurt walks out and closes the door behind him.

"What…" Noah's sentence is cut off when Kurt grabs the lapels of his coat and tags him forward until they're as close as they can get and then Kurt kisses him, hungry and happy and it doesn't get deep because they both can't stop smiling.

Noah closes his arms around Kurt's waist and his hands slide down to rest on Kurt's ass. There's a whispered, "Hey there," before they get lost in their kissing, standing there, in the hallway outside Rachel Berry's apartment.

They don't stop until the door behind them is opened and Rachel grabs both their arms, pulling them apart from each other and inside the apartment.

* * *

><p>It's almost time for the ball to drop when they make it to Times Square. Charlie is walking holding one hand with Brittany and the other with Santana, and they pick him up every other step making him laugh with joy.<p>

Jesse has his arm around Rachel's shoulders and she has a little smile on her face that makes her look younger because Jesse is the only person who actually manages to relax Rachel Berry.

Kurt and Noah are a few steps behind the others, they're walking next to each other, their shoulders brushing together but they aren't holding hands because the way they look at each other it's enough to not need a physical contact.

When they all stop in Time Square looking up at where the ball should drop from, Kurt feels his hand being grabbed and he turns around finding Noah with that little boyish grin he sometimes has, usually before dragging Kurt to the bedroom.

"Come on," he says and then tags on Kurt's hand getting him to move, and it's not until they're far away from Time Square to be able to get a taxi that Kurt gets an idea on where they're going.

"It's our anniversary right?" Noah asks uncertain and Kurt laughs.

"I've been asking myself the same thing for the last few weeks."

"I want it to be," he smiles brightly, looking younger than his twenty-four years. "I mean, you don't get a more romantic one, right? Meeting on the last day of the year, sharing a taxi."

"No, you're right, you can't."

After a few minutes, Noah tells the cab driver to stop and he pays before dragging Kurt out in the cold. They're standing in front of a little diner and Kurt shakes his head. "This is so cliché and kind of perfect, actually."

"I'm the best boyfriend ever. I remembered where we came to eat on our first meeting and we haven't been here since."

"I didn't remember the name of this place."

They walk inside the little diner and there's the same waitress with the red hair that was there the last time and the little TV on the shelf is showing Times Square. The different thing it's that this time they don't seat across from each other but next to each other.

"What can I get you guys?" She asks them with a friendly smile.

After she leaves with their orders, Kurt relaxes against Noah's side and Noah puts his arm on the back of their booth so he can turn a little and Kurt can lean against his chest.

Kurt has been thinking about what he wants to ask for a long time now and there isn't a particular way in which he imagined the proposition going. When they said "I love you" for the first time, it was natural and simple and while they were watching Project Runaway of all things. Being where they first eat together, on their one year anniversary, is as perfect as everything could ever be.

H grabs Noah's hand and starts playing with his fingers to get his nerves under control and then just asks, "Would you like to move in someplace together?"

There's silence for the first few moments and then Noah leans on Kurt's shoulder so he can at least look at the side of Kurt's face. "To move in someplace?"

"Yeah. I haven't been looking around for places because it's something we should do together and

Charlie is getting bigger and he will soon want his own room and it's awkward at breakfast when you stay over because Santana and Brittany make out on the other side of the table so you can't move in with me.

"And I can't move in with you because you live way too close to Rachel. I love that girl, but whenever I stay over, it's like she spies on us and knows I'm there and then first thing in the morning, there's she is, knocking at the door and…" Noah chuckles and Kurt can feel Noah's chest vibrating against his back. "And I just really want to live with you."

"So, someplace in New York?"

"We could get something close to where we work. It's a little pricey living in Midtown Manhattan but we can manage."

Noah squeezes Kurt's hand for a moment and Kurt wishes he could read what's going through his mind but no matter how scared he is, he's not going to take it back. So he waits and after a few minutes, just as Kurt's eyes fall on the little TV where the ball is dropping in Times Square, he feels lips leaving a kiss on his neck and then Noah's breath hot against his ear.

"Let's move in someplace together."

**The End**

**Just in case anyone wants to know, the studio where Puck records is the Skyline Recording Studio in Midtown Manhattan and Kurt works for ELLE. Google maps told me that those places are just a few minutes away from each other so Kurt and Puck will move in together in Midtown Manhattan. This is their apartment: **

www[.]metropolisapts[.]com/View_Listing[.]aspx?lid=964878&sid=4136062&page=1


End file.
